Must See TV: What Lies Behind the Addiction?

Everyone has that one hour, one night a week, where all plans are halted and people find themselves curled up on the couch, eyes glued to the screen. If someone tries to interrupt this focused viewer, a quick reply and a dirty look say, “Shh. My show is on!” It is an interesting phenomenon; people form very strong emotional attachments to the fictional world of television and talk about characters as they talk about close friends. A lot of people explain this phenomenon by diving into the human psyche, while others argue people just get caught up in the hype and routine. When it comes to television, all shows try to create the perfect blend of beautiful people, hot hookups, and exciting plot lines, yet only a select few become a huge success. What is it that makes a show must see TV?

In the midst of awards season, shows like House (logo shown to the upper left), Grey’s Anatomy, and Heroes are proving to be this year’s favorite picks. Not only do critics and actors love the shows, but also so do millions of viewers which increasing ratings prove every week. Popular drama House draws in about 17.5 million, hot new show Heroes (cast shown below) pulls in 15 million, and favorite Grey’s consistently comes in third in the Neilson ratings with 21.5 million every Thursday. These are clearly impressive figures and while there is no one formula to create a smash hit, communication theorists and entertainment experts believe it has something to do with psychological aspects of identification and bonding.

A widely held belief in the communications field is that people watch television because of wishful identification that Cynthia Hoffner and Martha Buchanan define in their article in Media Psychology “as the desire to be like or act like the character.” As people watch loveable and screwed up Meredith on Grey’s Anatomy, or sarcastic and biting Dr. Gregory House from House they recognize these people from their own lives and form attachments. Everyone can probably remember a show or character where they felt this: I can remember growing up watching Saved by the Bell and wanting to be just like Kelly Kapowski, pretty and popular. I had her bangs and wore my overalls one shoulder unclipped to emulate her style. As I got a little older, it was Rachel Green on Friends, and I copied everything from what she wore, to what she said, and of course followed her hair trends (a popular cut style of Aniston's is shown on the left). If any character is living proof that wishful identification exists it is Jennifer Aniston’s character Rachel, just ask any hairdresser. It makes sense that people want to associate themselves with characters that are smart, funny, successful, and attractive, but it goes deeper than that. Hoffner and Buchanan explain, “people have a fundamental need to form connections with other people, and television offers audience members access to a wide range of other human beings.” Clearly, likeable characters are a major component.

Another key ingredient for success seems to be blood, quick-wit, and characters that can make scrubs look good. Medical dramas have and still prove to be the most popular shows on TV. Scrubs, Grey’s Anatomy, House, Nip/Tuck, and long running ER are all network favorites. While the shows are not always accurate depictions, in “Anatomy of a Real Medical Career” a medical student claims House is ‘an excellent show with some really fun diagnoses. The way they go about determining the final diagnosis, in theory, is the way we are taught in school.” Medical shows draw people in not only because of the exciting illnesses and surgeries, but people like to see that other side of medicine and see that these powerful surgeons and doctors are just as scared and screwed up as anybody. Many people like the fact that while watching an episode they can see a whole drama enfold and be resolved by the end of the hour. No matter how much blood or gore each show depicts, in general the audience is left with a hopeful feeling about medicine and life, and people love to hold onto this hope.

As for cult show phenomenons like Lost and Heroes, a key part of their universal success is the appeal to a wide audience. Children as young as seven or eight to people as old as eighty love the mystery and action-filled series. Television watching becomes family time and a tradition that brings busy people together; common ground for a father and his adolescent daughter to bond over. People love the ever deepening, unsolved mysteries, and to form their own theories about the “truth.” As TV critic Scott Pierce writes, “"There seems to be a big segment of the audience, especially younger audiences, that wants a show to be less spelled-out for them." Ask any viewer of either of these shows and they will give a long explanation of what they think the keys are to the big mysteries, and actively engaging in the show like this creates a stronger bond.

While it may be true that some people simply tune into Lost to have something to talk about on Thursdays at work, or fane interest in a medical saga to fill that hour before going out on a Thursday night in college, for the majority of people watching television it is way more than that. Putting aside psychological explanations and logistical reasons, the reason people watch television can be boiled down into simply wanting to believe in something. Heroes preaches that there are people out there with special powers to help save humanity and on Grey’s Anatomy (a scene from last year's season finale shown on right) people are given hope that their loved ones will make it through a difficult surgery and at the end of the day their will be smiles and a fitting song playing in the background. While some criticize these shows for these very reasons, people do not watch television week after week for reality, but for an escape into a world where for that short time, it is not about their worries or problems, but watching someone else’s life unfold. People essentially love TV for one reason; escape, and some shows have created the perfect haven.